This invention relates to a composition and to a method of preparing a composition useful in the treatment of porous surfaces such as masonry. More particularly, the composition contains a hydrolyzable silane monomer, silanols, and alkoxy functional oligomers, and the composition is anhydrous and essentially organic solvent free.
The advent of Federal and State regulations directed to environmental concerns particularly in the area of architectural coatings has created the need for solventless compositions. Solvent free architectural coatings containing silanes are known in the art as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,051 issued Dec. 29, 1987. In the '051 patent, one hundred percent of a pure solvent free alkyltrialkoxysilane is applied to the surface of concrete to render the surface hydrophobic. The present invention is an improvement over this technology, and provides a treating composition which is anhydrous as well as being solventless or free of organic solvent, while at the same time including in addition to a silane monomer, silanols and alkoxy functional oligomers thereof. The prehydrolyzed composition of the present invention will generate less organic alcohol liberated during further hydrolysis of alkoxy groups upon contact with moisture, thereby rending the composition of the present invention more environmentally acceptable. Since the compositions are anhydrous, stability problems during storage of the composition prior to its use caused by decomposition in aqueous medium are reduced. Thus, the compositions will remain stable for a sufficient time to make it economically feasible to employ these materials in coating applications.